Skarphedinn sprang up and said, “Thou needest not to stand and think if it be really as it seems.  Men are here.”

Then Skarphedinn smites Tjorfi his death-blow.  Hroald had a spear in his hand, and Hogni rushes at him; Hroald thrusts at him, but Hogni hewed asunder the spear-shaft with his bill, and drives the bill through him.

After that they left them there dead, and turn away thence under the Threecorner.

Skarphedinn jumps up on the house and plucks the grass, and those who were inside the house thought it was cattle that had come on the roof.  Starkad and Thorgeir took their weapons and upper clothing, and went out and round about the fence of the yard.  But when Starkad sees Skarphedinn he was afraid, and wanted to turn back.

Skarphedinn cut him down by the fence.  Then Hogni comes against Thorgeir and slays him with the bill.

Thence they went to Hof, and Mord was outside in the field, and begged for mercy, and offered them full atonement.

Skarphedinn told Mord the slaying of those four men, and sang a song.

  Four who wielded warlike weapons
  We have slain, all men of worth,
  Them at once, gold-greedy fellow,
  Thou shalt follow on the spot;
  Let us press this pinch-purse so,
  Pouring fear into his heart;
  Wretch! reach out to Gunnar’s son
  Right to settle all disputes.

“And the like journey,” says Skarphedinn, “shalt thou also fare, or hand over to Hogni the right to make his own award, if he will take these terms.”

Hogni said his mind had been made up not to come to any terms with the slayers of his father; but still at last he took the right to make his own award from Mord.

CHAPTER LXXIX.

HOGNI TAKES AN ATONEMENT FOR GUNNAR’S DEATH.

Njal took a share in bringing those who had the blood-feud after Starkad and Thorgeir to take an atonement, and a district meeting was called together, and men were chosen to make the award, and every matter was taken into account, even the attack on Gunnar, though he was an outlaw; but such a fine as was awarded, all that Mord paid; for they did not close their award against him before the other matter was already settled, and then they set off one award against the other.

Then they were all set at one again, but at the Thing there was great talk, and the end of it was, that Geir the priest and Hogni were set at one again, and that atonement they held to ever afterwards.

Geir the priest dwelt in the Lithe till his death-day, and he is out of the story.

Njal asked as a wife for Hogni Alfeida the daughter of Weatherlid the Skald, and she was given away to him.  Their son was Ari, who sailed for Shetland, and took him a wife there; from him is come Einar the Shetlander, one of the briskest and boldest of men.

Hogni kept up his friendship with Njal, and he is now out of the story.